Ojha spins India to nine-wicket victory

Ahmedabad, Nov 19: Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha took nine wickets in the match as India went 1-0 up over England in the four-match Test series with a thumping nine-wicket victory here in first Test at the Sardar Patel Stadium on fifth and final day, Monday.

Scorecard; Day 5 in pictures

I got him: Pragyan Ojha after removing Alastair Cook

Needing just 77 runs to win, India openers Virender Sehwag and Cheteshwar Pujara were in a hurry. Sehwag fell for 25 off 21 balls with a four and a six. He was dismissed by Graeme Swann with India 20 away from victory.

Virat Kohli (14 not out) and Pujara (41 not out) finished the job with India at 80/1 in 15.3 overs. Kohli brought up the victory with a straight boundary off Swann.

Pujara had a memorable match being unbeaten in both innings. He had made 206 not out in the first innings. A total of 247 runs for Pujara in Ahmedabad. Pujara won the Man-of-the-match award.

Pujara opened the batting in place of Gautam Gambhir, who had flown home to Delhi on Saturday night after his grandmother had passed away.

Earlier, England were bowled out for 406 with Pragyan Ojha taking four wickets.

The second Test starts in Mumbai on November 23.

Lunch report: England 406 all out; India need 77 to win

India bowled out England for 406 in the second innings (following on) and require 77 to win the first Test here on the fifth and final day, Monday. India bowlers struck early in the first session as it was all over for England by lunch. England lost five wickets today for 66 runs. They had started the day at 340/6.

Pragyan Ojha removed overnight batsmen Matt Prior (91) and Alastair Cook (176) and when they departed from the middle, it was only a matter of time for India to wrap up the innings. R Ashwin, Zaheer Khan and Umesh Yadav had one wicket apiece as the visitors' innings ended at 406 in 154.3 overs.

Ojha finished the game with nine wickets (five in first innings, four in second). His match figures were 9/165 in 77.2 overs. Ashwin had 1/111 in 43 second innings overs. The offspinner had 3/80 in 27 in the first.

Cook's epic knock of 176 was ended by Ojha, when a ball turned and kept low to breach the left-hander's defence. It was an outstanding innings from the England captain and came off 374 balls in 556 minutes.

Prior, in sight of his seventh Test century, fell for 91 as the ball stopped and the right-hander just managed to lob the ball back to the bowler, Ojha.

Yadav got Stuart Broad caught and bowled while Ashwin got his first success in this innings, in his 43rd over when Graeme Swann attempted a switch hit and lost his middle stump. Tim Bresnan was the last man out caught by substitute Ajinkya Rahane off Zaheer.

Start of the day update

It is day five in the first Test between India and England and it could be an interesting day if Alastair Cook and Matt Prior continue to extend lead.

Cook was superb on Sunday with a marathon knock of 168 and he is the one man who is capable of saving England in this Test. Prior (84 not out) is in sight of a century.

England are 10 runs ahead having made 340/5 on Sunday. Though India might feel they still have a good chance of bagging this Test, first session of play will indicate where this Test is headed towards.

Gautam Gambhir, who flew back home after his grandmother passed away, is on his way back to join his team-mates. He will, however, not open the batting. Gambhir can bat at only number seven. Cheteshwar Pujara is likely to partner Virender Sehwag at the top.